Hinge for drop leaf tables



Dec. W, 1957 B. E. HERBOLSHEIMER ET AL 2,815,529

HINGE FOR DROP LEAF TABLES Filed Oct. 23. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR BRUCE E. HERBOLSHEIMER ROGER C. HERBOLSHEIMER ATTORNEY Dec. 10, 1957 B. E. HERBOLSHEIMER ETAL HINGE FOR DROP LEAF TABLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 25, 1956 FIG. 2

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INVENTOR BRUCE E. HERBOLSHEIMER ROGER C. HERBOLSHEIMER ATTORNEY tates *1 :Iil GE FOR DROP LEAF TABLES Application Uctober 23, 1956, Serial No. 617,871 4 Claims. (Cl. 16-179) The present novel invention relates to hinged tops for stands, and more particularly to hinged drop-leaf tops for business machine stands, and the like.

Many table such as end tables, dining-room tables, and the like, require too great an area when not in use, and yet in most instances a table of smaller size is usually not adequate under all conditions. Thus under conditions where floor space is at a premium there is the dilemma of choosing between a table of adequate area or sacrificing utility or usefulness for purposes of space conservation. The foregoing problem is particularly acute in the case of portable business machine stands wherein a table of sufficient working area is highly desirable yet a definite disadvantage when the stand is not in use and merely occupying undue floor space.

As a result of the foregoing problem, prior art efforts evolved the highly utilitarian drop-leaf table wherein a nominal working surface can easily be supplemented or increased by elevating hinged sides or drop leaves to a working position. Thus, this type of table provides more than adequate working area when needed, but further is capable of reduction of the amount of floor space it requires by moving the drop leaves to an inactive position for compact storage or space saving purposes. It is obvious that the drop-leaf type table finds particular application in the art of business machine stands where the periodic usage of such demands a space saving compact storage feature combined with an adequate working surface.

Prior art efforts in the design of the drop leaf for business machine stands have embodied various and sundry braces which extend between the drop leaf and the legs of the stand and which can be moved into a rigid leaf-supporting position. Such devices have embodied an accumulation of extra elements which have unnecessarily increased the cost of the stand, and have also defeated the ultimate goal of simplicity of such a device. In addition, the aforementioned brace-type drop leaf has been found to be deficient in many other respects, most notable of these being that inadvertent bumping of the brace could easily dislodge the brace from its setting, permitting the drop leaf and any material supported thereon to fall. A further objection to the aforementioned drop leaf is that such drop leaves were freely pivotally mounted and in their non-service position freely moved on their hinges striking the legs of the stand chipping the paint therefrom, as well as creating a lot of noise during movement of the stand.

Representative of considerable advance in the art of drop-leaf type tables is United States Letters Patent 2,644,192, issued July 7, 1953, to R. E. McClellan. The novel drop-leaf device disclosed by the proposed patent is representative of an appreciable advance toward the ultimate goal of simplicity in the design of hinged dropleaf tables. In the McClellan patent the novel hinge mechanism not only functions to permit pivotal motion of the drop leaf but concurrently permits positive rigid locking of the drop leaf in its service position. In addiatent 2,815,529 Patented Dec. 10, 1957 tion, the McClellan patent embodies a novel feature of permitting separation of a pair of binge elements in order ticularly directed to a hinge mechanism which simultaneously serves not only as a hinge mechanism and rigid locking support mechanism to maintain the drop leaf in its service position, but also as a novel stop mechanism to maintain the drop leaf in a non-service position that will effectively prevent the leaf from hitting the legs of the stand, thereby preventing chipping of the stand or creating undue noise. In addition, the novel hingedly mounted drop leaves of the present invention are nonseparable from the main table structure and the leaves are never unnecessarily removed from the table; subsequently lost or mislaid.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide novel pivotal means.

Another object of the present invention is to provide novel hinged means that are composed of two inseparable elements.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel drop-leaf structure for tables wherein the drop leaf is held in its service position by a novel hinge.

Yet another object of the present novel invention is to provide a unique drop-leaf table having a pair of hinge elements that are interlocked in a service position to maintain the drop leaf in a rigid horizontal plane without the aid of any other or auxiliary braces.

An additional object of the present novel invention is to provide a drop-leaf type table with hinge elements that permit easy locking of the drop leaf in a horizontal service position and which further limit the amount of vertical drop of the drop leaf in a non-service position.

Still another object of the present novel invention is to provide a drop-leaf table with novel sliding pivotal hinge means which permit easy movement of the drop leaf from a service to a non-service position.

A further object of the present novel invention is to provide a drop-leaf table with a pair of binge elements interconnecting the drop leaf to the table structure wherein the hinge elements are inseparable so that the drop leaf cannot be disconnected from the table and wherein the hinge elements provide the sole means for maintaining the drop leaf in a rigid horizontal service position.

Another object of the present novel invention is to provide a drop-leaf type table with a novel hinge element wherein the hinge element limits downward vertical movement of the drop leaf in a non-service position and wherein the hinge elements are provided with novel interacting and interlocking means for maintaining the drop leaf in a rigid horizontal service position.

These and other objects will become more apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims when read in conjunction with the attached drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of preferred embodiment of a drop-leaf type business machine stand showing the novel hinge elements and further showing the drop leaf in its down or limited vertical position;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the portion of the novel hinge element of the present invention which is attached to the drop leaf;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View of the hinge element shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the hinge element which is attached to the underside of the main table top shown in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partially in section, showing the drop leaf in its horizontal or service position, and showing the interacting interlocking relation of the two hinge element'sfand Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of the drop leaf in its down or non-service position, and showing the operation of the novel vertical limit means which prevents the drop leaf from objectionably hitting the legs of the table.

Turning now to the drawings and particularly to Fig ure 1 a detailed description of the construction and function of the present novel invention will now be given, in connection with a business machine type stand, as illustrated, indicated 20.

Stand 20 comprises a pair of leg assemblies, generally indicated by the numeral 22 and consisting of vertically disposed tubular legs 24 interconnected at their upper ends by integral horizontal tubular portions 26.

The upper ends of leg assemblies 22 are suitably interconnected by a cross brace 27, welded or brazed at each end to a respective or adjacent portion '26. At the lower ends of legs 24 there is a generally rectangular U-shaped bracket 28 welded, brazed or otherwise suitably fixedly connected to the four legs 24, as clearly seen in Figure 1. In addition, the upper ends of leg assemblies 22 are inwardly bent or disposed towards each other as indicated by the numeral 30, for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

The stand illustrated in Figure 1 is of the non-movable type, however, if so desired the stand can be very easily mounted on caster assemblies as disclosed in our copending application Serial No. 617,753, filed October 23, 1956, for Business Machine Stand.

Surmounting leg assemblies 22 and fixedly secured to portions 26, as by screws (not shown), is a rectangular platform or business machine supporting surface 32, formed from wood, metal, or any other suitable material.

Hingedly connected to opposite marginal sides of surface 32, as by novel hinge assemblies generally indicated 34, are a pair of auxiliary surfaces or drop leaves 36, formed from similar material as surface 32.

Turning now to Figures 2 through 7 a detailed description of the novel elements ofhinge assemblies 34 will now be presented. There is shown in Figure 2 the novel combination hinge element and limit stop generally indicated 38, which is attached to the under side and along opposite marginal edges of each of the drop leaves 36.

Hinge element 38 is formed of a good grade of heavy duty relatively thick sheet steel and consists of a planar body portion 40 terminating at its right hand end, as viewed in Figures 2 and 3, in integral angularly downwardly disposed portion 42. Angularly portion 42 in turn terminates and is integral with planar portion 43 which is integral with ogee portion 44. The free end of ogee portion 44 defines a flat. stop surface 46, for a purpose which will appear. Equally spaced along a centerline of body portion 40 are three through apertures or openings 48 for receiving mounting screws, as will hereinafter be described. Another larger interlocking aperture or opening is drilled in fiat portion 43, as clearly seen in Figures 2 and 3, for the purpose of aiding in the locking of the drop leaves in their up or service position.

The complimentary or cooperative hinge part of hinge assembly 34 is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, and is generally indicated 52. Part 52 is also formed of a good grade of heavy duty relatively thick sheet steel, and consists of a rectangular mounting plate 54 and an integral downwardly depending receiving portion 56. Plate 54 is provided with three triangularly disposed through apertures or openings for purposes of receiving mounting screws which secure part 52 tothe undersideof surface 32, as will hereinafter appear. Horizontally disposedin and parallel to the marginal edges of receiving portion .56 is a through slot 60 somewhat larger than the width of element 38, for a purpose which will hereinafter be described in detail.

Turning now to Figures 6 and 7 a detailed description of the method of assembly of hinge 34 and its novel function will now be particularly described.

Plate 54 of a pair of elements 52 are secured along each marginal edge, and at the underside, of surface 32, in spaced relation as clearly seen in Figure 1. Screws 62 passing through openings 58 in plate 54 securely fix parts 52 in their assembled relation. In this assembled position receiving portion 56 is parallel with the adjacent marginal edge of surface 32, and angularly depends downwardly and outwardly therefrom. Attention should also be directed to the fact that the forward edge of plate 54 extends slightly outwardly beyond the adjacent marginal edges of surface 32, as indicated at 64, for a purpose which will appear. Once hinge elements 54 have been secured to the underside of surface 32, body 40 of element 38 is inserted or passed through the rear or right hand side of slot 60, as viewed in Figure 6. In this position of assembly ogee portion 44 is to the right of receiving portion 56, as also clearly seen in Figure 6. Once element 38 has been passed through slot 60, as above described, body portion 40 is fixedly secured to its respective drop leaf 36 as by screws 66, which pass through openings 48. Body 40 is secured sufiiciently rearwardly of the marginal edges of drop leaves 36 so that there is a lock slot 70 defined by the undersurface of the drop leaves and portions of the upper surfaces of angulated portion 42 and fiat portion 43, for a purpose which will also appear.

Attention should also be directed to the fact that the upper marginal edge of slot 60 lies in the same plane as the undersurface of element or plate 54, and further that lock slot 70 is approximately of a width equal to the thickness of plate 54, for purposes of efficient rigid locking which will hereinafter appear.

In order to lock drop leaf 36 in a working position the drop leaf, of Figure 7 for example, is rotated in a clockwise direction until the upper surface of fiat portion 43 of element 38 can be slidably moved past the head of screw 62, which is the middle screw of the three screws 62 which secure plate 54 in place. This inward sliding movement permits the alignment of opening 50 with the head of middle screw 62. When leaf 36 has been slidably moved inwardly to its fullest extent the leading edge portion 72 of element 38 will have substantially engaged slot 70. Leaf 36 is then allowed to drop or rotate ever so slightly in a counterclockwise direction to its absolutely horizontal position so that opening 50 fully engages the head of screw 62. In the above described assembled position the drop leaf 36 is securely and rigidly locked in a horizontal working or serviceable position. Rigidity of the drop leaf 36 is attained by virtue of the fact that a substantial portion of leading edge 72 is wedged between the underside of leaf 36 and the upper surfaces of angulated portion 42 and flat portion 43. In addition, the upper surface of element 38, designated 43, as clearly seen in Figure 6, is in restrained bearing relation with the undersurface of plate 54, thereby effectively resisting and preventing any counterclockwise movement of leaf 36 to a non-working position.

The interlocked or interengaged relation of the head of middle screw 62 and opening 50 effectively prevents inadvertent disengagement of leaf 36 with top or surface 32, since in order to effect disengagement of leaf 36 it is first necessary that leaf 36 be rotated slightly in a clockwise direction and slidably moved to the left, as viewed in Figure 6. Thus the leaf 36 is positively and rigidly locked once it has been placed in the position shown in Figure 6.

.Turning'now to Figure 7, the operation of the novel limit stop or; hinge assembly 34.will now be particularly described. When leaf 36 is lowered to its non-service position the surface 46 of ogee portion 44 contacts and engages the underside of plate 54 in bearing relation, and by this engagement leaf 36 is effectively prevented from rotating any further or too far in a counterclockwise direction, and as a result does not bump or damage legs 24. In addition, by virtue of ogee portion 44 engaging slot 60, surface 46 engaging plate 54, and the weight of leaf 36, the leaf will under normal conditions remain substantially stationary in its down position.

Because of the heavy duty sheet steel construction of elements 38 and 52, and the provision of slot'60 there is no need for a hinge pintle as used in ordinary hinges, since element 38 functions in slot 60 much in the same manner and more efiiciently than the ordinary pivotal hinge joint. And, because of the foregoing construction the hinge assembly 34 is relatively inexpensive to manufacture since it merely involves very simple and cheap stamping and bending operations. In addition, the hinge of the present invention is a sturdy device that is easy to operate, and which represents the optimum in connections for drop leaves and the like.

Attention should also be directed to the fact that the legs 24 of stand 20 are inwardly bent as at 30 in order to provide sufiicient clearance room for the hanging of the drop leaves 36, and in order not to interfere with the action of the limit stop heretofore described.

The invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit or essential scope and characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a table a hinge comprising, a first member having an extension along a marginal edge thereof; receiving means in said extension; a second member defined by first and second planar portions joined by an intermediate incline; said second portion terminating in limit means; said second member inseparably slidably and pivotally mounted in said receiving means, whereby said second portion engages a surface of said first member in one position and said limit means engages said surface of said first member in another position defining a supporting position and limit position for said second member, respectively.

2. In a table a hinge comprising a rigid substantially rectangular first member; a rigid downwardly extending portion integral with a marginal edge thereof; an elongate transverse slot in said downwardly extending portion defining a fulcrum of said hinge; a rigid second member defined by a pair of spaced planar portions integrally interconnected by an inclined intermediate section; an ogee portion at a free end of said second portion; said first member inseparably slidably and pivotally received in said slot; said second portino of said second member engaging an undersurface of said first member in one position of said members, whereby said first member serves to support said second member; and an end of said ogee portion, defining limit means for movement of said second member relative to said first member, engaging said undersurface of said first member upon movement of said second member relative to said first member in one direction.

3. In a table a hinge comprising, a first member; receiving means on a marginal edge of said first member; a second member inseparably slidably and pivotally mounted in said receiving means; a surface on said second member parallel to and engaging one surface of said first member in one position of said second member, to maintain said second member in a fixed relation with respect to said first member; and limit means adjacent to and integral with said surface of said second member engaging said one surface of said first member in another position of said second member to limit movement of said second member with respect to said first member.

4. A hinge comprising, a first planar member; securing means mounted through and securing said first member to an element to be hinged; receiving means on a marginal edge of said first member; a second member inseparably slidably and pivotally mounted in said receiving means; securing means mounted through and securing said second member to another element to be hinged; a surface on said second member parallel to and engaging one surface of said first member in one position of said second member, to maintain said second member in a fixed relation with respect to said first member; limit means adjacent to and integral with said surface of said second member engaging said one surface of said first member in another position of said second member to limit movement of said second member with respect to said first member; and lock means in said surface of the second member engaging at least one of the securing means mounted in said first member in said one position of the second member, interlocking said first and second members, whereby inadvertent disengagement of said first and second members from said one position is prevented. 1

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 142,077 Brinser Aug. 26, 1873 2,035,718 Perl Mar. 31, 1936 2,167,489 Renga July 25, 1939 2,211,581 Ross Aug. 13, 1940 2,358,174 McFall Sept. 12, 1944 2,602,956 Reynolds July 15, 1952 2,621,361 Schmitt Dec. 16, 1952 2,644,192 McClellan July 7, 1953 2,666,946 Miller Jan. 26, 1954 2,686,332 Tull et al Aug. 17, 1954 2,712,485 Greve July 5, 1955 2,730,416 Williams Jan. 10, 1956 2,763,889 Bednarski Sept. 25, 1956 

